'Apprentice' Hopkins fired from paper

The Apprentice star Katie Hopkins has been fired from her weekly column in the Exeter Express and Echo.

Hopkins was let go after an online poll of readers voted for the reality TV star to be fired.

In total 341 readers requested for Hopkins to be sacked, while only 66 asked for her column to be retained.

The TV personality defended her column, claiming that the negative response was partly down to jealousy.

She told the Daily Mail: "People are always quick to knock those who are successful. Those who are in opposition are always more ready to make their voices heard than those in support.

"I'm glad I had the moral courage to put myself up there and I will continue to do so. If people would rather read about jumble sales and village fetes instead of what I've got to say, that's their choice."

The newspaper's editor Marc Astley commented: "It was my decision to hire Katie and I do not regret that. I did not always agree with what she wrote but neither do I agree with many of the letters we publish.

"The result of the vote is unequivocal and so, true to my word, her column will appear no more."